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What the New Bridgegate Emails Teach Us

A sign directing New Jersey traffic toward the George Washington bridge.
(Natalie Fertig/WNYC)

The circle of people around Chris Christie who knew about the "traffic problems in Fort Lee" is growing -- though there is still no evidence directly linking the Governor to the plan. Matt Katz, reporter for New Jersey Public Radio and WNYC, explains what the newly-released Bridgegate emails suggest about the Christie administration's involvement. See all WNYC's Bridgegate coverage on The Christie Tracker.

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Comments [26]

B. Ella
from Montclair,NJ

It would be good if you could look into the funds that private people donated after Sandy, and what happened to that money. I have a recollection of hearing that Christie put his wife "in charge" of these funds. Has there been any accounting for them? Does anyone know how much was donated and what they were used for?

Chritie is a meglomaniacal micro manager! Nothing goes on in that Statehouse without him knowing it. He prides himself on being "large and in charge" and that's what he is. Bridgette Kelly would never make a move like that without his knowledge and his approval.

Maybe he didn't order the lane closures, but Christie clearly has something (likely a lot) to hide. And if he can't keep a clean enough email trail to get through this without constantly blocking investigations, how can he really expect to survive the vetting that comes with a presidential election?

I'm a Democratic type of NJ guy and did not vote for of Christie. I also find his aide's and the political people in the Port Authority capable of pulling this sort of mean, stupid action at the G-Dub.

However, why it is just assumed Christie had to know and had to do something to stop it remains unclear to me. It was a Port Authority matter. It may, indeed, turn out that Christie knew and/or that his associates were guilty of a serious misuse of public power. But I have trouble with the 'investigative' work of WNYC reporters, include "network-star" Matt Katz (as if that is a big deal, Brian By the way, I certainly recognize you were just having some fun along those lines.). There a self-congratulatory, echo-chamber kind of thing going on that loves to draw the worst conclusions (A knows B who knows C who knows D who used to be A's lawyer, so we gotcha). Some of WNYC's reporting just seems to be quoting The Record or The Star-Ledger.

There probably is a lot here but there is too much hype of the stuff dribbling out. Meanwhile, how about a comprehensive look sat the PA's budget, contracts, projects, etc. There has been some look at that but hardly enough.

It would be great if Matt could track down some rabid right wingers who were caught in the GWB traffic jam for four hours and hear their take on Christie and his machinations. And I wish that those people here who dismiss what Christie's minions perpetrated were also caught in that traffice jam. That includes Chuzzle and Brenda.

Dear Mr Chuzzletwit- No we can't talk about Lois Lerner here. You know why? Because it has nothing to do with Christie and his sleazy thuggish corrupt behavior. You do know that every time you put up a post it gives you less credibility. You just come across as another deluded Faux News sheep. I am so tired of this right wing tactic that when confronted by corrupt behavior by right wing pols you try to change the subject to supposed Democratic violations. You right wingers aren't looking for the truth just trying to score cheap political points. And that is one thing you have in common with Christie.

In the Hound of the Baskervilles, the clue was the dog that did not bark.Considering David Samson's law firm's involvement in so many development progects: Is it possible that Gov. Christie cancelled the Hudon River train tunnel because Samson's law firm was NOT hired to represent a prime contractor? Is there any correlation here? Kudos to Matt Katz.

I hope for the Governor's sake, that he is telling the truth but it's hard for me to believe - Mr. Christie just accepted at face value from his underlings, that the chaos caused by closing down lanes to one of the world's busiest bridge - 4 DAYS IN A ROW, was due to a "traffic study." It just does not sound right. At best - it's sheer incompetence.

I wanted the Gov. to run for president but I no longer feel comfortable with him having our country's nuclear codes.

A caller just asked about PA commissioners not living in the PA area is covered in today's Daily News focusing on one in particular Jeffrey Lynford who was registered to vote in Westchester and just changed his voting registration to NYC to conform to PA rules. http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/port-authority-commissioner-voter-registration-article-1.1726326

I agree with Martin. Let's get Lois Lerner on the show. We all know that the 501(c)'s, both Rep and Dem, are a big scams. They are not doing social service; they are political money arms. She did not penalize these new "not-for-profit" Org's nearly enough, and Martin and I want to know why!

The new emails show that Stepien knew *during* and it thus strains credulity about Christie not knowing. No proof yet, just circumstantial evidence. A reasonable person *could* believe CC is a lying PoS. An equally reasonable person *could* believe that the governor is being hounded by 'liberal media' with a score to settle. Not enough to convict but certainly enough to dead end his Presidential hopes.

I agree with Brenda, because everytime someone complains about losing their coverage, digging deeper we always find that their new obamacare will actaully be cheaper. Good for you, Brenda, lower your costs.

I have not heard anyone make the argument that any and all emails and documents produced by NJ State employees are the property of NJ State....not the writer. Shouldn't that negate any 5th Amendment defense to not produce them?

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